The Rangers signed restricted free agent defenseman Anton Stralman yesterday to a two-year, $3.4 million contract.

The 25-year-old toyed with playing in his native Sweden coming off a solid season. The Rangers picked him up in mid-November and he became a key contributor in their run to the Eastern Conference Finals.

The deal avoided arbitration for the five-year veteran who finished 53 regular-season games with two goals and 16 assists, along with 20 playoff games — often on the power play — with three goals and three assists.

The attention for management should now turn to another restricted free agent defenseman, Michael Del Zotto.

The 22-year-old was deemed off limits by general manager Glen Sather in trade talks throughout last season and this offseason, and he will be looking for a substantial raise from the last year of his entry-level contract, which carried an annual cap hit of just over $1 million.